


Some Things Change, Some Stay the Same

by Lady Divine (fhartz91)



Series: Outside Edge [51]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Boyfriends, Established Relationship, Ice Skating, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, figure skating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 20:12:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16817635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fhartz91/pseuds/Lady%20Divine
Summary: Sebastian takes Kurt to California to share with him one of his favorite Christmas traditions, only to find out that some things aren't the same as they used to be.





	Some Things Change, Some Stay the Same

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Hummel Holidays prompt from years ago 'traditions'.

“Ugh,” Kurt moans, pulling out of a flawless scratch spin that received a round of applause (and a few Instagram posts) from enthusiastic public skaters, but also doused his jeans with salt water. “I am … uncomfortably moist.”

“I am so sorry, Kurt.” Sebastian sighs, watching his boyfriend brush fruitlessly at his stained denim. “It’s not usually like this.”

Kurt gives the calves of his jeans a few more hard swats before giving up. “Who thought putting an ice rink on the beach was a good idea in the first place? I mean, it’s eighty degrees outside!”

“Skating by the Sea is a San Diego tradition,” Sebastian explains, looking forlornly over his shoulder at the Hotel del Coronado, rising statuesquely out of the cinnamon-and-sugar sand and up to the sky. He scans the beach, past the couples walking hand in hand, enjoying the warm winter evening, down to the crashing waves, where a handful of brave kids savor what they can before they need to go indoors. The sun has just started its decent into the water, painting the horizon a rosy gold. The high clouds have caught that shade, carrying it along as the drift overhead. It’s positively picturesque, like straight off a postcard from the hotel lobby, skating outdoors with this gorgeous view of the Pacific. It’s unlike any experience (he’d hoped) that Kurt has ever had before.

A perfect way to spend their anniversary. Symbolic even. This peaceful rink, the quiet solitude of skating that they both appreciate and respect, within walking distance of the turbulent, powerful ocean. It could be a metaphor for where they began, and where they ended up, both as skaters and boyfriends.

Or jet lag and overall holiday melancholy might be getting to him.

Sebastian came here every Christmas as a kid, when his parents’ business took them to the West Coast and they were still at that stage of parenthood where they felt guilty leaving Sebastian home alone with his uncle for longer than a few days.

Once they got over that, they stopped coming to San Diego over the holidays.

As a family, at least.

“I wouldn’t call this skating,” Kurt mutters, burying the edge of his blade into the soft surface of the ice. “It’s more like … slushing. For what you paid for our room, and then thirty dollars a ticket to skate, you’d think they’d figure out a way to keep their rink _cold_.”

“I should have just taken you to Rockefeller Center,” Sebastian pouts, running his blades through the puddle at his feet. He can feel the water seeping through the eyelets and into his socks. It’s lukewarm, and Sebastian grimaces. Thank goodness they’d opted to bring old skates. Sebastian knows he’d personally cry if this adventure of his ruined Kurt’s custom Riedells. Especially since Kurt’s not wrong. Even during the coldest California Christmases, this rink has been a little on the damp side. Salt and ice don’t play well together. That’s why people put salt on their driveways during the winter. But it’s never been _this_ bad.

“I’m sorry,” Kurt says, taking his boyfriend’s hand and resting his head on his shoulder. “I know you flew me out here for this super romantic moment. And I appreciate it. I really do. But this …” Kurt lifts his boot and instantly a stream of water dribbles off the blade “… with everything going on in the world, is just … really depressing.”

“I know.”

Kurt tugs Sebastian’s hand, motioning with a tilt of his head towards the exit. Sebastian nods. This isn’t the end of their vacation. Not by a long shot. They still have a room at the Hotel del with a private hot tub, a huge stretch of beach to lay out on, and plenty of indoor rinks in the county to carve up. But this moment - he’d been looking forward to sharing it with the love of his life since as long as he could remember. He’d hoped it could help rectify some unresolved hurts from his childhood, mend some past broken hearts.

But, fittingly, it was ruined by circumstances beyond his control. 

“Remember, kids,” Sebastian says to no one in particular, kicking up a puddle before he follows his boyfriend off the ice, “global warming isn’t real. It isn’t real.”


End file.
